Lake Norman Oral & Facial Surgery • Dr. Raymond J. Haigney II • 9727 Northcross Center Ct. Huntersville, NC 28078 • (704) 987-3132
9727 Northcross Center Ct. Huntersville, NC 28078 • (704) 987-3132
Can you get full mouth dental implants?
Full mouth dental implants are used to replace missing teeth and can be placed throughout the entire mouth on either one or both arches. Full mouth dental implants are used to secure a fixed dental restoration such as a bridge or denture and are a more secure and natural-looking option than some other restorations.
What to Expect With Full Mouth Dental Implant Treatment
If you are healthy and do not need any preparatory surgeries such as a gum graft or bone graft, your implant surgery can proceed. These steps include:
- x-rays, photos, and diagnostic casts (molds) of your entire mouth
- a treatment planning visit to discuss exactly what your treatment will entail and answer any questions you may have
- implant placement surgery where four to six implants are strategically placed in one or both jaws
- a temporary bridge or denture while you heal
- placement of your permanent bridge or denture
Once your implants have been placed, you will be sent home wearing a temporary bridge or denture for 4 to 6 months while your implants heal and integrate with the jaw bone. When your oral surgeon or periodontist has determined that your implants are successfully integrated and are ready for restoration, your dentist will take over from there!
Your dentist will use an abutment between the implant and the implant crown. The abutment allows the crown to sit securely in the implants. Full mouth dental implants are a secure and natural-looking option to restore your mouth.
They are also actually better for your mouth than traditional dentures and bridges. Since implants are placed directly into the jaw bone, they help stimulate the bone and allow it to regenerate as it should. When the bone does not have anything stimulating it as worth traditional bridges and dentures, it can begin to deteriorate and eventually change the shape of your face.
Care and Maintenance of Full Mouth Dental Implants
Though your porcelain crowns cannot get a cavity, oral hygiene is just as important with full mouth dental implants as it is with your natural teeth. Regular and proper brushing and flossing are key and you may find a WaterPik to be a good addition to your routine. Without proper care, you can develop periodontal disease which leads to gum recession, bone deterioration, and eventually implant failure.
In addition to your regular twice-yearly hygiene appointments and check-ups with your regular dentist, it is important to follow up at least once a year with the doctor that placed your implants so they can do their part to make sure that your implants are stable and healthy.
Bruxism is another factor that can cause damage to your implants. Bruxism is the clenching and grinding of the teeth which a lot of patients do in their sleep without even realizing it. To combat the effects of bruxism, your dentist may advise that you get a night guard! A night guard is a kind of thick retainer that is worn over the teeth on the top arch and covers all surfaces acting as a buffer between your teeth.
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